All We Can Do
by PencilofAwesomeness
Summary: Sometimes, there isn't much you can do except honor the fallen. My tribute to 911.


**During AP Human Geography today we watched some videos about 911 to honor it, and they get me emotional every time. I mean, can you imagine a mass murder across the nation, chaos and fear in all those hearts… I was only three when it happened, and nobody I knew died in it, but I still deeply feel for the event and respect all the families involved and everyone who helped in some way. I'm sorry if you're not American and don't particularly care, but I am and this is my solute.**

**I'm sorry if I don't do the event justice; I'll probably never be able to, but I tried my best.**

* * *

Jack never had a problem with airplanes before, but this was too close for his liking. _Way_ too close. Maybe he never paid enough attention to these things, but the planes weren't supposed to be _that_ close to the city. Especially when they are rapidly approaching the buildings…

Forgetting about his planned destination of Canada, Jack Frost instinctively flew up beside the plane like he actually had a chance to stop it. But when he caught a glimpse at the murderous glint in the 'pilot's' eye, it was already too late. The large commercial airplane collided with the world trade center. Clouds of fire radiated from impact, accompanied by the flying chunks of concrete, both effectively knocking the winter spirit into the ground. Screams of terror and pandemonium pierced the air like a bloody knife, forcing Jack to snap out of his painful haze and get up from his landing in the sidewalk.

The terrified New Yorkers fled the scene in droves. The fact that hundreds of them were rushing through him constantly, creating a lingering pain in his gut on top of the burns and bruises didn't faze him; all he could comprehend was that in the span of thirty seconds, thousands were dead and dying and there was nothing he could do about it.

"W-where is she? Where's my baby?!" A ruffled woman shoved through the fleeing crowd in the opposite direction, fear plastered on her face. "_Where is she_?! _WHERE IS MY BABY_?!" she screeched again.

Jack, already in the dust-filled air, noticed the woman's screams and something tugged at his heart. Why couldn't he be visible?! Then maybe he could do _something_…

"Mommy?" someone coughed, the sound faint. Jack's keen senses picked up the small noise by chance; there was no way that he should have been able to hear, but by the moon he did. Fueled by some uprising of blind determination, the white haired teen swooped _towards_ the burning rubble of the collapsing building. Somehow spotting a tuff of bloodied blond hair, Jack rammed his staff in the boulders, doing his best to ignore the blazes all around him…and the second plane colliding with the _other_ tower.

With a burst, Jack froze the concrete block and shattered it. A small girl was revealed to be under it, her body absolutely covered in scrapes and bruises and burns and blood; she wheezed, barely taking in the polluted oxygen around her.

"Shh, it'll be okay," Jack soothed, though he voice shook and cracked with the fear he held. While he barely comprehended the situation, the weight of its reality was a burden on his shoulder. The girl surprisingly turned her head and cracked open a puffy blue eye.

"Are you an angel…?" she croaked.

"N-no," he stammered out, in shock that she actually saw him, but still racked with turmoil. "But I'm here to help you."

Jack picked up the girl and cradled her in his cold embrace. More debris fell, and the first tower collapsed on itself. Desperate to get the girl out, he thrust himself into the air, almost choking on the powdered cement that covered the city in a fog.

He landed somewhere a ways away from the towers in an alleyway. The girl had a tight grip on his sweat shirt, and he had to gently pry her away. She looked at into his ice blue eyes with a tear-stained, scared face, and his heart nearly snapped. "You're safe now, ok?" he stroked her cheek with his thumb, wiping away a stray tear.

She sniffled and barely nodded, he frail body still trembling. Suddenly, her eyes focused on something, and she ran forward past Jack. "Mommy!" The girl leaped into her mother's arms and the two began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Oh thank God you're okay," the woman sobbed. "I love you, I love you so much…"

Jack smiled weakly, amazed that he happened to bring the child right to her mother. Suddenly, a furry hand rested on his shoulder. "You okay mate?"

Jack whipped around to see Bunny and Tooth behind him, sorrow filled in his gray eyes. Forgetting their ongoing rivalry, Jack sighed and leaned against Bunny. "It's them I'm worried about."

Tooth flitted up to Jack and rubbed his burned cheek motherly, but was unable to come up with any encouraging words. Not while thousands of people were dying; and when they couldn't do much about.

* * *

Jack glanced back at the other four Guardians behind him and at their grim expressions, and for once, he wasn't going to say anything about. They stood off to the side of a large crowd, all setting lighted candles in flowers on the tranquil watery surface. North, Bunny, and Tooth all silently released their own flowers into the water before heading off in their own directions.

Sandy gave Jack a weak smile, which he returned, before setting a golden flower of sand on the surface. It briefly flashed as the image of the American flag before floating off. Jack set his own frosted flower on the surface, watching it drift off with the other thousands.

Sometimes, that was all you could do.

* * *

**Ok, so still not sure how this all turned out, but I hope I did okay. To everyone who was involved more personally, and to everyone who perished, this is my solute. God bless you all.**


End file.
